As we close out 2012, we’re looking back on the great things in social media and tech that caught our eye this year. We’re calling it The 5s! Today, it’s the 5 groundbreaking Lit Champs who are doing amazing work getting kids to read every day.

To preface, each and every Lit Champ is an incredible one. But these five really stood out in our minds this year. Here’s why.

Lakota Pine Ridge
The Lakota Pine Ridge Children’s Enrichment Project, Ltd. (LPRCEP) works with families and schools on the Pine Ridge Reservation, one of the poorest regions in the United States. Here, drop-out rates are as high as 70% and many children are in desperate need of books and educational resources. Lakota Pine Ridge has provided more than 5,000 books to schools, preschools and families, improving literacy rates and helping kids stay in school.

Justin Tuck (and his foundation, RUSH for Literacy)
Justin Tuck’s program has resulted in more than 45,000 books and $157,500 donated to students in need in the football superstar’s hometown community of Alabama, as well as New York and New Jersey. Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy aspires to encourage children to “READ, UNDERSTAND, SUCCEED, and HOPE as they continue to nurture literacy in their lives,” values we can certainly stand behind.

826 National
826 National has got an amazing thing going on. Started in San Francisco in 2002 by award-winning author Dave Eggers and educator Nínive Calegari, the organization has expanded to multiple cities since, offering free writing and tutoring programs that celebrate the written word.

Reach Incorporated
We were drawn to this organization because of their innovative approach to learning: Reach Incorporated hires struggling high school students as elementary school tutors. These high schoolers—often seen as unfit to help others—serve as role models for younger students and build their own  confidence by helping others reach success. The result is academic achievement that benefits all involved.

Asia Foundation
The Asia Foundation’s Books for Asia program donates approximately 1 million books a year to 7,500 educational institutions. This year, as a part of their Storytime in Asia campaign, four children’s book publishers donated a total of 120,000 books and shared the story through social media, helping to raise awareness of the transformative power of children’s books in the developing world.

We salute these five Literacy Champions, and every organization or person who makes it their mission to help children read every day. For Scholastic’s directory of Literacy Champions  and information on how you can become one, visit our Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life. site.